Snap-hook.



T. L. CRAVEN.

SNAP HOOK.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 26. 191'].

Patented Apr. 23,1918.

INVENTOR s E s s E N n w ATTORN EY THOMAS L.

CRAVEN, 0F BELLEFOURCI-IE, SOUTH DAKOTA.

SNAP-HOOK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apt. as, rare.

Application filed June 26, 1917. Serial No. 177,122,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, THoMAs L. CRAVEN,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Bellefourche, in the county of Butte and State of South Dakota, have invented new and useful Improvements in Snap-Hooks, of which the following is a specification. This invention relates to snap hooks, and more especially to those having a pivoted latch; and the object of the same is to produce an improved'hook of this type adapted for application to an anti-skid chain on an automobile tire so that the chain will not come loose when the driving wheel is rotated reversely and perhaps slips in the mud or on the snow'.

This object is carried out by closing the throat of the hook by a peculiar form of latch pivoted in a peculiar manner so that it opens by an inward movement and back pressure on the ring or link which is engaged with the hook ordinarily forces the latch but tighter closed. 7

Details of the construction of this improved hook are set forth in the following specification and claims, and shown in the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of one type of this improved hook showing it closed in full lines and with its latch turned in dotted lines to an open position.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the hookportion proper.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of another type of this improved hook closed in full lines, and with its latch shown in dotted lines as open.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the latch portion of this type of my invention, with the parts thereof slightly separated.

In any type of my invention, the same is composed of a latch L anda hook H. In Figs. land 2 the shank of the hook is bifurcated and the latch is pivoted therein, whereas in Figs. 3 and 4 the latch is bifurcated and passes astride the shank of the hook and is pivoted thereto. In either case the pivot is by preference so disposedthat a straight draft on the chain or other member to which the device is applied 'will swing the latch on' its pivot and throw its tip against the bill of the hook, and in either case also the tip of the latch is undercut so that in case tension on the chain is relaxed and the endmost ring or link moves back in the hook, it strikes the end of the latch and prevents its tip from disengaging the bill of the hook so that said ring or link can become accidentally dislodged. I have direction which is v with the bend of the hook proper. The

latter is indicated at 5, and is carried around into the hill 6, and the slot between the arms of the bifurcationpreferably terminates at 7 somewhere in the body between the bent portion of the shank and the bend of the hook. The latch L in this case is a straight piece of fiat or bar metal perforated at about the center of its length for the reception of the pivot 3 and having other perforations 10 and 11 for the reception of one end of the member which is to be connected with this hook. At least one of these perforations, at 11, should be so disposed with reference to the pivot 3 and the bend of the hook proper that draft on members connected in this perforation and with the bend will throw the tip 12 of the latch against the inside of the bill 6 of the hook. Said tip is cut away on its outer edge as shown at 13, and is undercut or beveled on its end as shown at 14:, so that the extremity of the tip forms quite an acute angle whereas the rear side or heel 15 of the latch forms an obtuse angle and is here shown as standing within the bifurcation of the hook. The parts normally stand when under tension as seen in full lines in Fig. 1, but when latching or unlatching the ring or link with the hook, the latch is turned to the dotted lined position as shown. Strain on the ring or other member will of course hold the parts in the full-lined position, but should the strain be relaxed and the ring or link pressed backward against the end of the latch, it will strike the undercut portion 14:

and slide back on the same against the hook, meanwhile forcing the tip 12 of the latch more firmly against the bill 6'of the hook and preventing unlatching.

In Figs. 3 and 4: is shown another em bodiment of this idea. Here the hook H is solid, and preferably it is stamped from a single piece of sheet metal of suflicient thickness to give it the necessary strength. Its inner end is bent at 24 and perforated at 22 for the pivot, and its outer end forms the hook proper 25 whose bill 26 is beveled on its tip as seen at 27. The latch is here bifurcated, and may be made of sheet metal rather thinner than that composing the hook. 'It is composedof upper and lower duplicate overlying members 30and 31 connected only by a narrow tongue 37 at their .inner ends, and the latter are shaped to form a tip 32 much like the tip 12 of the latch described above. That is to say, this tip is undercut at 3% on an acute angle with the working face 87 the same as above, and beyond said face the other edge of the latchv is cut away as at 33. The members have registering holes 35 for the pivot pin, and otherv registering holes 36-to receive rivets which pass also through a filler 38 (shown removed in Fig. 4) and which holds these members spaced at their outer ends. The members and the filler also have large registering holes or openings 39 through which is passed the ring or link of the chain which is connected with that end of the device in a manner well understood. When the parts are assembled as seen in Fig. 3, draft on this end of the latch and on the bend of the hook proper throws the working end of the latch normally against the beveled tip 27 of the bill, and if the ring in the bend of the hook should he accidentally pressed inward toward the pivot, it will ride up the undercut surface or face 3% on the latch and only serve to press the latter more closely against the bill 26.

The result is that with either construction, of my invention tension holds the throat of the hook closed and the tip of the latch against the tip of the bill, a sudden release of tension so that the ring within the hook presses back toward the pivot causes the said ring to ride up the beveled end of the tip of the latch and hold its working face firmly against the inside of the bill so that it can not escape, and yet when it is desired to disconnect said ring it is only necessary to move it into the bend ofthe hook, turn the latch on its pivot, and then carry the ring freely and easily out of the throat. While I prefer to use the filler 38 when sheet metal is employed for the latch, it is not absolutely necessary. It holds the outer ends of the members 30 and 31 separated so that they may pass astride thebent inner end 24: of the hook and will not be drawn into contact with each other so as to cause the pivot to bind when strain is thrown onto the device. It also adds strength if it is thoroughly riveted at 36, or connected to the two members in any other appropriate and satisfactory manner. I prefer to employ the integral tongue 37 connecting the inner ends of these members as the working face which bears against the beveled extremity 27 of the bill 26, because otherwise these ends of the members might spread and pass astride the tip of the bill or might become bent out of shape in rough use of the device. -As suggested above, I prefer in all cases that the rear end of the shank of the hook H shall be bent as at 4 in Fig. 1 or at '24 in Fig. 3 so as to stand beyond a straight line between the bend of the hook and the working opening in the outer end of the latchthe obvious purpose being to cause the tip of the latch to stand normally against the inside of the bill of the hook and keep the same closed. I do not wish to be limited to the materials or proportions of parts, and details other than as described are unimportant.

What is claimed as new is 1. In a snap book of the class described, the combination with the hook proper whose shank at its rear end is bent in behind its throat and perforated; of a latch comprising spaced members having a perforation registering with that in said shank and means at their outer ends for attachment to a chain, the inner ends of the members having a reduced tip united by a tongue provided with a working face adapted to contact with the bill of the hook when the device is put under strain, said inner end also having an undercut face at one side of the working face and at an angle thereto and a cut-away portion at the other side of said working face, and a pivot pin through the registering perforations.

2. In a snap hook of the class described, the combination with the hook proper whoseshank at its rear end is bent in behind its throat and perforated; of a latch of sheet metal comprising two overlying members united at their inner ends by an integral tongue, said members passing astride the rear end of the shank of the hook and perforated and having means at their outer ends'for attachment to a chain, and their inner ends being cut oif at an acute angle to the face of said tongue which latter norhind its throat and perforated; of a latch naeavee hook and having alined perforations, the

inner ends of said members being cut ofi' at an acute angle to the working face of said tongue, a filler secured between the outer ends of said members and provided with means for attachment of a chain, and a pivot pin through said registering perforations.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

THOMAS L. CRAVEN.

flomllee efl thfie patent may be elbteilmed for five cente each, by eddreeefin the "@emtoner et mum,

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